Restaurants in Siena: Tuscan Cuisine, Pizza & Cafes

Siena in Italy is a lovely place to dine out or have relaxing drinks in the historic old town. As we were in Siena, a city in Tuscany, for a fortnight, we tried many of the local restaurants and cafes. We found lots of options and researched them before dining out. Most of our meals out were in the old town area near all the main attractions.

We also had two special meals during this visit, one for my wife’s birthday and one for our wedding anniversary. During the daytime, we also stopped for snacks, coffees and drinks at various bars and cafes around the city.

Restaurants in Siena, Italy

These are the places we ate during our holiday in Siena. I really enjoyed the local Tuscan cuisine, which inspired my cooking when not dining out. Notable dishes were the octopus and truffle pasta at Compagnia dei Vinattieri and the Tuscan rabbit tagliatelle at Locanda dell’Oste.

Compagnia dei Vinattieri For Tasting Menu

A special restaurant we dined out at a few times was Compagnia dei Vinattieri, which was in a quiet area not far from the main attractions. Compagnia dei Vinattieri has indoor dining and a garden, which was lovely during our summer visit. They specialise in wines and have a big wine cellar; however, I drank some cold beers with my food.

On my first visit, I popped in for a light lunch and opted for their octopus in a rigatino with a pistachio sauce. This was delicious and hit the spot. Apparently the octopus was cooked for six hours to make it tender.

On another visit, we came for a special meal out to celebrate our wedding anniversary. As it was a special occasion, we opted for their tasting menu, which was five courses chosen by them. The server checked for allergies and foods we didn’t like before the experience started. For the first two courses, we had steak tartare, which was very tasty and a new experience for us. This was followed by an aubergine and mint pie with ricotta, which was tasty, light and fluffy. Neither of these was a dish we’d usually try; however, we found them fantastic.

Next up was the primi piatti, which was tagliatelle with truffles and butter. This had great flavours, and the truffle flavours were very good. The second plate was a dish I had my eye on: lamb with lamb sausage, which was my favourite. The sausage flavours hit the right notes for me, and I’m seeking them out to cook with.

This was then followed with crème caramel and coffee to round the meal off. The servers here were excellent and really enjoyed introducing each dish to enhance the meal.

Locanda dell’Oste For Tuscan Cuisine

Before my visit, I had read that rabbit and hare are popular in Tuscan cuisine, so I sought out somewhere serving this. It wasn’t as widespread as expected; however, I found it on the menu of Locanda dell’Oste. Locanda dell’Oste is a posh restaurant behind the main square with splendid views of the tower or the Tuscan countryside from its terrace.

On my visit, I chose their fresh rosemary tagliatelle with Chianti rabbit ragout, which was very nicely presented and tasted good. The flavours combined perfectly, and it was one of my favourite dishes on my visit to the region. To accompany this, I had a bottle of local golden ale, Birra del Vecchio Toscano, which was delicious and worked well with the food. Note: it is popular and mostly reservation-only; I was lucky to get a table.

Ristorante Il Salotto: A Posh Restaurant

Another restaurant we visited for a celebration meal was Ristorante Il Salotto in the city centre. We picked the highest-rated place near where we were standing to get out of the rain and landed here, which was handy as it was near the opera where we had booked tickets later in the evening.

Ristorante Il Salotto is a nice place with a pretty dining area; if it wasn’t raining, we would have chosen one of the outside seats at the side of the restaurant. Here we had a few beers and two courses each. For the appetiser, I had their Tagliere del Salotto, a platter featuring Tuscan cured meats, Pecorino cheese from Pienza, and crostini with chicken liver pâté, a local special. This was a big course which was tasty and filling.

For the main course I opted for their Cinghiale alla Cacciatora e Ceci Saltati. This was a gamey wild boar stew which was very tender and served with chickpeas. It’s a Tuscan dish and was my cup of tea. My wife chose their squid with spinach pasta, which tasted great.

DalVitti For A Tasty Lunch

Another of the upmarket restaurants we spotted was DalVitti, which is on the main road towards Piazza Salimbeni. They have a quiet outdoor seating area with a historic fountain for décor. We had a light lunch and beer on our visit.

My wife opted for a chicken salad, and I chose a cheese ravioli dish, ricotta-filled ravioli with pecorino cheese fondue and pears. This was fantastic, and the cheesy flavours paired well with the sweetness of the pears. The service here was good and matched the food quality.

Osteria La Chiacchera

Pici is the local pasta in Tuscany, and I had cooked it the night before, so I set out to try some cooked by a local. During a storm, I spotted Osteria La Chiacchera opening and popped in for a beer and read their menu. This is a small family restaurant with a cosy dining area; in dry weather, they have on-street seating with views.

After a good read, I opted for their Pici alla Gricia alla Senese. This is a pasta dish made with pici, Sienese finocchiona (fennel-flavoured salami), and pecorino cheese. This came with bread and parmesan cheese. I found this meal quite tasty, and it was a great option for lunch with a few Italian beers.

Osteria Da Trombicche: For Pork & Beer

In one of the quieter side streets near the key places of interest was Osteria Da Trombicche. I was early and had the pick of the seats and drank a few cold beers while reading their menu.

After much deliberation, I chose their Pork Master, which was pork shoulder with tuna sauce. This was delicious and made for a great lunch out.

Piripi Pizza Urban Food

Another good meal while exploring the city was at Piripi Pizza Urban Food. They have indoor and outdoor seating; we dined outside on this visit. They had a great lunch menu, and I started with a beer new to me: Moretti White Beer, which was fantastic.

For food, we shared a pizza and a plate of cold cuts with bread, which were all very tasty. The service here was great, and the food was very good.

Rombo e VAS for Beer & Breakfast

In the central areas, a short walk from Piazza del Campo, is Rombo e VAS, a quiet cafe for food or drinks. As a bonus, this was one of the cheaper establishments for 600ml beers in the area. For that reason, we popped in here quite often, sometimes with snacks.

We also had breakfast here; my wife chose their omelette and coffee, and I liked their sandwiches and tried a few. The service was friendly and efficient here, and I really enjoyed my time on their terrace.

Cafes & Bars in Siena

Pasticceria Corsini Siena

Pasticceria Corsini Siena is a cafe and cake shop a short walk from the central areas. This is a few minutes’ walk from the Italian Opera and Giardini la Lizza but is well worth the stroll. It’s a popular cake shop, and boy, do they have options.

I visited here for cake for my wife’s birthday and again for our wedding anniversary, as it was so special. They also have a cafe serving the full range of coffee or beer to have with a sweet treat. They open at 7:30 am, and there are usually people waiting for their caffeine and sugar fix.

Caffè 19zero3 Ristorante

Overlooking the market square behind Piazza del Campo is Caffè 19zero3 Ristorante. This is a pleasant place for drinks and was rather quiet for my elevenses beer. They have a terrace with views or inside seating, and the servers were friendly. They had some interesting craft beer options, including some white beers. As a bonus, they offered free bar snacks with drinks.

Ristorante Il Duomo Siena

A handy spot for drinks before visiting the iconic Siena Duomo is Ristorante Il Duomo Siena. It’s on a side street up the hill from the cathedral. We visited twice before lunchtime and found plenty of seats. They have a good selection of drinks and food available. On our visits, we drank coffee and beer. The vibe here was pretty laidback, and the server was friendly.

La Piccola Osteria

La Piccola Osteria was near the local shops at our dog-friendly accommodation. It is a small venue for quick, easy food or a drink. They had lots of pre-prepared options, like lasagna, pasta, and meats.

For drinks, they had options for coffee, wine and various choices for bottled beer in their fridge. I visited a few times and sampled a few of their beers, sitting outside watching suburbia go by.

Gusti Continentali

I’m always game for recommendations for places for a drink or food, and after discussing Nomadic Backpackers, a James Bond-inspired visit to Siena, he suggested Gusti Continentali. Gusti Continentali is near the Basilica of San Francesco, which was my main port of call that day.

I drank inside to avoid the heat and found they had a good range of drinks and snacks. The host here was friendly and kept me drinking with a few bowls of crisps and tortillas.

Bar Impero

Near Porta Camollia is Bar Impero, a popular bar which is rather cool. They have a great range of beers on draught, including German beers like Hofbräuhaus. On my visits, they provided snacks with the beers. They also serve food, cocktails, and coffee. Bar Impero has a lovely interior to sit and chill in and a small terrace on the roadside.

Termini Bar

In the old town, just off the main thoroughfare, is Termini Bar, a nice cafe for a snack, beer or coffee. We stopped in Termini Bar a few times, as it was often quiet in the afternoons.

We sat on their outside seats, which had views of the narrow side streets. The staff here were friendly and provided good service. I drank a few draught and bottled beers here while my wife had their coffee.

Antico Bar La Lizza

Opposite our dog-friendly hotel in the city centre was Antico Bar La Lizza, an establishment I visited a few times with Henry. They are a cafe and cake shop that also serves beer. I popped in a few times for a cold bottle while walking the dog and found it to be pleasant. As a bonus, the regulars seemed pretty friendly. Their cake and sandwich selection looked great too.

Nannini

Nannini has a few branches in Siena, including in the central areas. We mostly went to the Nannini near Porta Camollia and the escalators to the train station. This is a cafe that serves good coffee, beer, sandwiches and delicious pastries.

Bar Ciompi For Cheap Beer

Near our pet-friendly apartment, where we stayed for the first 10 days in Siena, was Bar Ciompi. Bar Ciompi is a dog-friendly neighbourhood bar that serves big bottles of beer and snacks.

They have indoor and outdoor seating; I chose outside to people-watch in the neighbourhood. I found this quite cheap compared to the central areas, and the staff were friendly. They are not on Google Maps but can be found here.

Charlie Mixology Bar

A bit out of town on Via Cavour is Charlie Mixology Bar, a cool place to visit at any time of the day. It’s a hip bar that specialises in Italian craft beers, cocktails and coffee. Charlie Mixology Bar has indoor and outdoor seating on the street, and I enjoyed both. They open early at 6 am, which was a big draw for me. For drinks, I chose Birra Nazionale, a refreshing blonde ale.

Tata Mama

Another handy bus station bar is Tata Mama, a nice cafe for a drink or snack. They had a few beer options, plus a full range of coffee and cocktails. They also had ready-to-eat pizza slices and some sweet pastries. It’s a short walk from here into the main streets of the old town or Medici Fortress.

Wednesday Market Café

The Wednesday market is a wonderful place to visit just outside the walls of the Medici Fortress, and during the spectacle, a café is open near the entrance. They were pretty busy, but on our visit we found a seat with a view of the football stadium below. They had the full range of Italian coffees and some great pastries. We enjoyed a doppio, Ichnusa beer and pistachio cornetti. They aren’t on Google Maps, but you can find them roughly here.